Feed-trough



Patented lune' 2Q, I899,

J. W. SCHNEIDER.

FEED TROUGH.

[Application filed July 16, 189B.)

2 Sheets-8heet 2.

Patented lung 20, I899.

J. W. SCHNEIDER.

FEED --TROUGH.

lApplication filed July 16, 1898.1

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, OF LA\VRENOE-, KANSAS.

FEED-TROUGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,356, dated June 2Q, 1899.

Application filed July 16, 1898- Serial No. 686,103. (No model-1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM SCHNEI- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed-Troughs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in feed-troughs, and pertains especially to a trough adapted to feedhogs and other small animals, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide a feed-trough constructed with a feed-box supported upon a distributing'trough or way and to have situated below this distributing trough or Way two feed-troughs which have their edges overlapping and situated directly under the openings of the'distributing-trough, whereby the grain or other feed from this distributing-trough is distributed into the two troughs equally, and to pivot the troughs and provide them with upwardly-projecting spring-handles for tilting the troughs when it is desired to empty them.

The object of my inventionalso consistsin the particular construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of .a feeding device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a detached per spective View of one of the adjustable racks. Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the pivoted racks to which the adjustable rack is attached. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, A are two end pieces of the supporting-frame, and projectin g from opposite edges of these end pieces are the standards B, the upper ends of these standards B being connected by the transverse or horizontal boards Q.

A distributing-trough D is arranged between the' end pieces A and composed of two inclined boards, as shown, the ends of these boards being nailed or otherwise firmly connected with the end pieces A. These in:

clined boards, which form the distributingtrough, do not meet at their lower edges, and by means of which a longitudinal distributing-opening E is provided.

Supported by the end pieces A and situated below the distributing-trough are the two feed troughs F and G. These feed troughs are provided at their ends with outwardly-projecting journals II, the journals at one end projecting through the end piece A, and have attached thereto the upwardlyprojecting spring-handles I. These handles are made thin or flexible between their ends, as shown at a, and the horizontal boards 0, supported above the end piece A, are provided with a notched block J, withwhich the upper ends of these handles I are adapted to engage for the purpose of lockin g the handles, and consequently the troughs, in their normal position.

Attention isdirected to the fact that the inner wall of the trough F overlaps the inner wall of the trough G and that the upper edge of the inner wall of the trough F is directly under the distributing-opening E of the distributing-trough D, whereby the grain or other feed falling from the trough is equally distributed between the two feed-troughs F and G. At the inner side of the end piecesAare provided the stops b, with which the inner wall of the trough F engages for limiting the inward movement of the trough and holding it in its proper position to have the inner wall thereof overlapped by the adjacent wall of the trough G. The position is also insured by the lever I interlocking with its notch in the block J. These levers I are attached in any desired manner with the pivotal point H of the troughs Fand G; but as here shown the ends of the levers are enlarged and provided with an opening for the journal and with longitudinal slits, a bolt K passing every time the animals are fed. This feedboX is provided with a hinged top M, and the horizontalboards O are cut out, as shown at 0, so that when the top M is swung back, as shown in Fig. 2, it will rest upon these boards C and be sustained in its horizontal position. The feed-box L is essentially supported by means of a board N, which rests in the distributing-trough D, and this board N is provided with a projecting portion P, upon which the top M also rests when swung open. In this manner the top M is provided with asubstantial support and forms a walk for the person feeding the animals, so that he may distribute the feed properlyin the feed-box and cause it to be fed uniformly through the bottom thereof. The bottom Q of this feed-box is provided with a plurality of openings R, and this bottom is situated in the feed-box slightly above its lower edge. The lower edge of the feed-box is made dovetail, and sliding in this dovetail is' aslide S, the said slide being provided with a plurality of openings T, which when the slide is drawn outward can be made to register with the openings R in the feed-box, thus permitting the desired quantity of feed to fall from the feedbox into the distributing-trough D. The operator can draw out the slide, letting the proper amount of feed fall into the distributing-trough, and it will thence be distributed from the said trough into the feed-troughs I and G, as before described.

A spout (Z is supported by the end piece A adjacent to the operating-levers I, and the said spout is notched at its under side to receive the upper end of the said end piece A, the spout being held in place through the medium of a hook and eye 6. The object of this spout is to provide means for pouring swill or slop into the distributing-trough, from which it will be distributed into the troughs F and G.

For the purpose of preventing the animals from interfering with each other while eating I provide racks f, which are pivoted at their upper ends to the end pieces A and inclined outward, their lower edges resting against the outer walls of the troughs F and G, and these are held downward through the medium of the hook and eye 6. The racks f are provided with a plurality of bars h and a supplemental rack which consists of the bars 1', adapted to rest on the upper and lower edges of the upper and lower bars of the rack f, respectively, and these bars 1' are connected by the bars or slats j. The object of this supplemental rack is to provide means for adjusting the size of the openings through which the heads of the animals extend, whereby the racks can be adjusted to suit animals of different sizes. The supplemental and main racks are provided with a plurality of openings into which the pins 11 extend for locking the supplemental rack in the desired position upon the main rack, and thus regulating the size of the space between the slats or bars of the main and supplemental racks, as will be readily understood.

A spring-latch n is provided for holding the top M closed and keeping the weather from the feed in the feed-box.

By means-of having the troughs pivoted, as described, with the locking and operating levers I the troughs may be emptied at any desired time for the purpose of cleaning them before feeding the animals, which will be found very convenient. The racks being pivoted may be swung up and out of the way, thus permitting free access to the troughs, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. A feeding device comprising end pieces, feed-troughs pivotallysupported between said end pieces, a distributing-trough above the feed-troughs, a feed-box above the distributing-trough, an intermediate brace between the distributing-trough and the feed-box and having an upwardly-projeeting transverse extension on one side adjacent the side of the feed-box and even with the upper edge thereof, and an outwardly-swinging top hinged to the feed-box at the inner edge of the extension and adapted to rest thereon when opened outward, substantially as described.

2. A feeding device comprising end pieces, pivoted feed-troughs situated between their lower ends and having theirinner walls abutting, a distributing-trough situated thereabove and provided with a longitudinal opening above the abutting walls of the feedtroughs, a feed-box supported above the feedtrough and provided with passage-ways, the feed-box provided with an outwardly-swinging top, and the end pieces constructed to support the cover when swung outward whereby it will form a walk for the operator, substantially as described.

3. Afeedingdevice comprisingfeed-troughs pivoted between the end pieces and having their pivotal points at one end extending through the end pieces, operating-handles attached to the pivotal points and having a looking member, dividing-racks pivoted at their upper ends between said end pieces and the lower ends resting upon the feed-troughs, a distributing-trough having a longitudinal opening in the bottom above the abutting walls of the feed-troughs and a feed-box above the distributing-trough, the bottom provided with a number of openings and a slide in the bottom of said box and having openings to register with the openings in the bottom of the box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ILLIAM SCHNEIDER.

Vi tn esses EDWIN B. SCHALL, TRACY LEARNARD. 

